Pump top re-forming machine



July 4, 1939.

'A. H. ALTVATER PUMP TOP RE-FORMING MACHINE Filed NOV. 21, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v jive-71501" July 4, 1939. A. H. ALTVATER PUMP TOP RE-FORIING IACHINE Filed Nov. 21, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I 2,164,861 PUMP TOP RE-FORMING MACHINE Adolf H. Altvater,

to Milton L. Dodge,

Application November 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to re-forming machines which are used in the manufacture of low-cut shoes to re-form making lasts have bee them after the shoen pulled therefrom.

Because the skirtings along the straight runs of the top edge of a low-cut shoe lack the kind of support that counters and toe stiffeners give to the heel and toe portions of the shoe, considerable care, skill and often special treatment are required to make the skirtings reproduce the lines of the sides of the shoe-making last. Unless the greatest care is taken in molding the materials of the skirtings to the sides so that the upper and of the shoe making last its lining, or it may be,

the upper, a doubler and the vamp lining, fit the last smoothly and without strain, the skirtings will lose their shape But even when care, 5

when the last is pulled. kill and special treatment enter into the operation of molding the skirtings to the shoe-making la by the strains to which during the last pulling distorts the skirtings, 0

st, their effect is nullified the skirtings are subjected operation. This operation ausing irregularities in the straight runs of the top edge and spreading them outwardly, thereby exposing unduly at the sides of the interior linings the shoe and, generally,

robbing the shoe of the trim appearance intended by its designer and sought after throughout the various shoe-making operations.

The principal object s of the present invention are to devise a method for re-forming the skirtings after the shoes have been pulled from the shoe-making lasts, and to produce a machine for practicing the method.

To the accomplishment such others as may appear of these objects, and hereinafter, the various features of the present invention consist in certain devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described, and then pointed out broadly and in detail in the appended claims,

possessing advantages skilled in the art.

The various features of Figure 1 is afietail view re-forming machine;

readily apparent to those the present invention ood from an inspection of lying, drawings illustrating the best at present known to the in front elevation of the Fig. 2 is a detail view in sectional plan, the section line having been taken just below the cover;

Fig. 3 is a plan of the re-formed shoe;

Fig. 4 is. a detail view in right side sectional elevation on the line 4-4, Fig. 1, with a shoe University City, Mo., assignor Newburyport, Mass.

added and the operating handle of pulled forward;

Fig. 5 is a detail view in rear sectional elevation on the line 5-5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view in plan on the 5 line 6-6, Fig. 4, and Fig. 7 is a detail view in right side sectional elevation on the line 'I-'I, Fig. 2.

For the purpose of disclosure the shoe operated upon by the re-forming machine is illustrated and 10 described as a low-cut shoe, herein shown for convenience as a pump 8 (Fig. 3), the top edge 9 of which comprises a curvature ID at the front, a curvature II at the rear, and straight runs I2 and I3, between the curvatures In and I I, on opposite sides of the shoe, respectively. As well known to those skilled in the art the upper l4 and the lining I5 (Fig. 6) of the pump 8 are secured together by various seams, one of which comprises the top seam I6 lying close to and run- 20 ning along the top edge 9. For convenience herein, the inner and outer surfaces of the shoe 8 lying close to and running along the straight runs I2 and I3 of the top edge 9 are each designated as the skirting. The upper I4, at the 25 rear of the shoe, is closed by a back seam (not completely shown) exposing to View a back seam crease I'I (Fig. 3).

The pump 8 illustrated in Fig, 3, representing a low-cut shoe after it has been operated upon by 30 the re-iorming machine, shows the desirable straight character of the runs I2 and I3 intended by the designer and sought to be attained throughout the various shoe-making operations. These runs l2 and I3 are distorted and are caused to 35 gape under the strains to which they are subjected during the last pulling operation. The distortion or gaping robs the shoe of its trim appearance, rendering it unfit for window display and creating distinct sales resistance. 8, after the last pulling operation, to the action of the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the attractive lines of the runs I2 and I3 are restored (Fig. 3).

The re-iorming machine is so arranged that 45 the skirtings of the completed shoe, subsequent to the last pulling operation, may be presented between inside convex mold surfaces I8 (Fig. 6), formed on the opposite lateral sides of an inside shaping form I9, and outside concave mold sur- 50 faces 29 formed, respectively, on outside shaping forms 2| and 22, as the shoe is presented to the inside shaping form, with its toe pointed downwardly, the sole being vertical and facing the operative.

the first set 71 The inside shaping form l9 constitutes an integral part of the enlarged front end of a fiat, vertically arranged arm 23 integrally connected at its rear end with, and extending outwardly from, a head 24 bolted to a legged base 25.

The outside shaping form 2| is detachably connected to the front end of a fiat, vertically arranged swinging arm 26, the rear end of which is yoked, to embrace the top and bottom of a yoked bracket 21 integral with the head 24, and to receive loosely a vertical pin 28 rigidly carried by the yokes of the bracket 21. As shown particularly in Fig. 6, the outside shaping form 2| is provided with a shoulder 29 which engages the free end face of the arm 26 and with a flange 30 which engages the outside face of the arm 26. The flange 30 is provided with two holes 3| which receive loosely, respectively, the shanks of bolts 32 threaded into the arm 26. The flange 36 is held in engagement with the outside face of the arm 26 by heavy springs 33, coiled about the shanks of the bolts 32, respectively, and interposed between the heads thereof and the flange.

The outside shaping form 22 is mounted, in a manner similar to the shaping form 2|, on the front end of a flat, vertically arranged arm 34, the rear end of which is hung for swinging move ment on a vertical pin 35, in a manner similar to the rear end of the swinging arm 26.

In order to move the outside shaping forms toward and from the inside shaping form, the arms 23, 26 and 34, (Fig. 6) receive loosely a horizontal bolt 36 rigidly connecting the yoked arms 37 of a lever 38 provided with an operating handle 39. The yoked arms 31 embrace the outside faces of the arms 26 and 34. To this end each of the arms 31, above and below the bolt 36, is provided with a rectangular block 43. Each block 40 engages a wedge block 4|, two of which are secured to the outside face of the arm 26 and two of which are secured to the outside face of the arm 34.

When no work is in the machine the handle 39 occupies the position shown at the right hand side of Fig. 2. In this position the blocks 46 are forced into engagement, respectively, with the thin edges of the wedge blocks 4|, by a spring 42 coiled about the bolt 36 and interposed between the arms 26 and 34 (Fig. 6). With this construction the outside shaping forms normally clear the inside shaping form providing sufiicient clearance to permit the application of the shoe to and its removal from the inside shaping form. When the handle 39 is pulled forwardly by the operative, the blocks 40 travel along the inclined surfaces of the blocks 4| and wedge the outside shaping forms into engagement with the work. In order to lock the outside shaping forms in pressing position the inclined surfaces on the wedge blocks terminate in fiat surfaces 43 (Fig. 6), respectively, complemental to the adjacent surfaces of the blocks 4!], respectively.

The mounting of the outside shaping forms to swing towards and from each other into and out of engagement with the work about vertical axes which are parallel to the longitudinal center line of the inside shaping form ensures that the outside shaping forms will not creep on the work. Experience has demonstrated that a creeping action of the outside shaping forms on the skirtings causes them to shine. In the case of skirtings having the exposed surface embossed creeping results in the rubbing out of the embossed pattern.

The operative shaping surfaces l8 of the inside shaping form l9 are convex and are of uniform curvature throughout their length to simulate approximately the vertical curvatures at the opposite sides of the last to which the skirtings had been drawn during the lasting operation. Moreover, the operative shaping surfaces is on opposite lateral sides of the shaping form I!) converge vertically from the bottom thereof to the top in order to simulate approximately the longitudinal converging of the opposite sides of the shoe-making last towards the heel end thereof. That is, each operative surface i8 has a relation to the median line of its form simulating the relation between a side of the shoe-making last and its median line.

As shown particularly in Fig. 4, the curvature H of the top edge of the pump extends out of the plane of the straight runs l2 and I3. In order to accommodate the inside shaping form 9 to this abrupt change in direction of the curvature l3 and to permit the inside shaping form to enter the shoe, the bottom of the inside shaping form is provided with a downwardly and rearwardly extending nose 44. This nose 44 enters the shoe and extends under the vamp adjacent its throat.

The top of the inside shaping form, which engages the inside of the shoe at its heel end, constitutes the surface which supports the shoe. Actually the shoe is suspended loosely from the top surface of the inside shaping form, the nose 44 merely serving to prevent the suspended shoe from being pulled forwardly off the inside form. In order to gage the position of the shoe on the inside shaping form its work supporting surface is provided with a vertical pin 45 arranged to engage the top edge 9 in the vicinity of the back seam crease I! and thus limit the rearward position of the shoe in the re-forming machine.

In order that they may coact with the operative shaping surfaces E8 of the inside form l9 throughout their lengths, the operative shaping surfaces of the outside forms 2| and 22, respectively, are concave and are equally spaced throughout the whole of their operative surfaces from the coacting surfaces I8, respectively, when in engagement with the work. By this arrangement a uniform pressure is applied to smooth out the skirtings, re-form them into the positions in which they were molded on the shoe-making last during the lasting operation, stiffen the straight runs I2 and I3 of the top edge so that they will stand up in their natural positions in the finished shoe, and reduce the portion of the top seam adjacent the straight runs.

As shown in Fig. 4 the coacting shaping surfaces of the forms are narrow so that they engage only the skirtings along the straight runs of the top edge of the shoe. The upper ends of the operative shaping surfaces of the outside forms terminate a substantial distance from the back-seam crease Because of their narrowness and points of termination relative to the back-seam crease II, the outside shaping forms do not press that portion of the shoe upper materials directly supported by the counter.

While the outside shaping forms are illustrated and described as being detachably mounted on the arms 26 and 34 thereby permitting substitution of differently shaped outside forms, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the illustrated embodiment of the present invention is capable of operating upon a wide range of sizes and/or styles without such substitution. As the pump is suspended loosely from the top surface of the inside form, and as the operative surfaces of the outside shaping forms engage only the skirtings from points spaced a substantial distance from the back seam crease to the points where the straight runs merge into the curvature ii], itis apparent that the inside and outside shaping forms coact to perform their intended function irrespective of variations in the lengths of the straight runs l2 and I3 of the top edge 9, or variations in the width of the space between the runs, or variations in the height between the sole of the shoe and the straight runs.

Stated in another way, the skirtings along" the straight runs of the top edge of a pump may be considered as being held to a grade. As the skirt ings only are engaged by the coacting inside and outside forms, variations in size, width and style of the shoe from the grade as a base are immaterial. In consequence one set of inside and outside shaping forms may be used to re-form the skirtings of all low-cut shoes irrespective of variations in their size, width or style.

It is well understood that, with many kinds of leather, heat may advantageously be applied through one or all of the shaping forms to increase their effectiveness. Frequently the heating of the inside shaping form is all that is necessary and in that case there is somewhat less chance that the operative will burn her hands by contact with the heated outside shaping forms. Accordingly, heat may be supplied to the inside shaping form through a cartridge heating unit 46 (Fig. '7) electrically connected to some suitable source of power and mounted within a chamber i'l formed in the front face of the inside shaping form and covered by a detachable cover 48. I

The effectiveness of the outside shaping forms may be increased by providing that, when they engage the work, the flanges 30 thereof will lift away from the outside faces 26 and 34, respectively, thus compressing the springs 33 and subjecting the skirtings engaged by the outside shaping forms to the compressed spring pressure.

In order to obviate marring the skirtings, the forms may be covered by some suitable soft and yieldable material. It is preferred, however, to plate the forms, for instance, with a metal such as chromium, in order to render the operative surfaces of the forms so hard and so smooth as to obviate any marring action by them on the skirtings.

In the drawings, four sets of coacting shaping forms are shown, but it should be understood that any desired number of sets may be employed. In the operation of the machine, by the time the fourth shoe is inserted upon the inside shaping form and the handle 39 of the fourth set operated to close the outside shaping forms thereof on the skirtings, the shoe previously inserted between the coacting forms of the first set is ready to be removed from the machine, which is readily done by throwing the handle 39 of the first set rearwardly, whereupon the finished work may be removed readily and another shoe, which has been pulled from the shoe-making last, substituted therefor.

Nothing herein explained is to be interpreted as limiting the various features of the present invention in the scope of its application to use in connection with the particular machine or the particular mode of operation or both selected for purposes of illustration and explanation. While the particulars of construction herein set forth are well suited to one mechanical form of the invention and to the use to whichrit is put, it is not limited to this use, nor to these details of construction, nor to the conjoint use of all its features, nor is it to be understood that these particulars are essential since within the skill of the'artisan without departing from the true scope of the actual'invention, characterizing features of which are set forth in the following claims by the intentional use of generic terms and expressions inclusive of various modifications.

What is claimed as new, is:

1. In a re-forming machine, the combination with an inside shaping form and arms movable toward and away from said inside form, of separate outside shaping forms movably carried by said arms, and means for yieldingly holding said outside shaping forms in predetermined angular relation to said arms.

2. In a re-forming machine, the combination with a head, an arm extending from said head, an inside form carried by said arm, a pair of arms pivoted to said head on either side of said inside form-carrying arm, an outside shaping form carried by each of said pair of arms for movement toward and from said inside form, and a lever having a fulcrum extending laterally of said arms and having a yoke portion embracing said arms, said pair of arms and said yoke portion having wedge faces cooperating when said lever is swung in one direction to force said outside forms toward said inside form.

3. In a re-forming machine, the combination with a head, an arm extending from said head, an inside form carried by said arm, a pair of arms pivoted to said head on either side of said inside form-carrying arm, an outside shaping form carried by each of said pair of arms for movement toward and from said inside form, a lever having a fulcrum extending laterally of said arms and having a yoke portion embracing said arms, said pair of arms and said yoke portion having wedge faces cooperating when said lever is swung in one direction to force said outside form's toward said inside form, and a spring coiled about said fulcrum and engaging at its opposite ends on the arms of said pair for separating said outside forms from said inside form when permitted by said lever.

4. In a re-forming machine, the combination with a head, an arm extending from said head, an inside form carried by said arm, a pair of arms pivoted to said head on either side of said inside form-carrying arm, an outside shaping form carried by each of said pair of arms for movement toward and from said inside form, and a lever having a fulcrum extending laterally of said arms and having a yoke portion embracing said arms, said pair of arms and said yoke portion having wedge faces cooperating when said lever is swung in one direction to force said outside forms toward said inside form, said wedge faces terminating in fiat faces positioned to lock said outside forms in pressing relation to said inside form on swinging said lever to a predetermined angular position.

5. In a re-forming machine, the combination with a head, an arm extending from said head, an inside form carried by said arm, a pair of arms pivoted to said head on either side of said inside form-carrying arm, an outside shaping form carried by each of said pair of arms for movement toward and from said inside form, a lever having a fulcrum extending laterally of said arms and having a yoke portion embracing said arms,

they may be modified said pair of arms and said yoke portion having wedge faces cooperating when said lever is swung in one direction to force said outside forms toward said inside form, said Wedge faces terminating in fiat faces positioned to lock said outside forms in pressing relation to said inside form on swinging said lever to a predetermined angular position, and a spring coiled about said fulcrum and engaging at its opposite ends on the arms of said pair for separating said outside forms from said inside form when permitted by said lever.

ADOLF H. AL'I'VATER. 

